The plot thickens. Maybe:
Newt Gingrich held a secret meeting with Mitt Romney ahead of the Louisiana primary on Saturday, according to a news report citing an anonymous source close to the Gingrich campaign. The two reportedly met at the hotel where Romney was staying in New Orleans. Gingrich did not deny that the meeting took place, but said there was no deal that would spur his potential withdrawal from the campaign, according to the Washington Times, which first reported the meeting. Some are speculating that the former House Speaker is looking to leverage his candidacy in exchange for aid with campaign debt or a position in a Romney administration. For a deal to be brokered, though, the campaigns would have to overcome what has been a tense relationship during the GOP contest.
This report, and the rumors within, very much contradict what Gingrich is saying publicly:
Gingrich Revamps Campaign to Deny Romney Delegates - Despite severely trimming his lagging campaign to cut costs, Newt Gingrich vowed Wednesday to stay in the Republican presidential race until front-runner Mitt Romney has the necessary support to become the nominee. Until Romney has won the 1,144 convention delegates it takes to win the nomination, Gingrich said "I owe it to the people that helped me for the last year to represent their views and their values."
Newt's already-dim chances have been pummeled by consecutive blows. The first, a new Gallup poll showing Ron Paul overtaking him among national Republicans; and the second, major bankroller Sheldon Adelson throwing in the towel:
Adelson acknowledged his favored candidate isn’t going to win the race. “It appears as though he’s at the end of his line,” Adelson told a small group Monday at The Jewish Federations of North America’s TribeFest, held at the Venetian. “I mean, mathematically, he can’t get anywhere near the numbers.”
Rick Santorum, meanwhile, is shifting tactics to focus more of his criticism on President Obama, a possible sign that he's beginning to accept the inevitable:
has eased up on using phrases like “worst Republican in the country” when tearing into . And he is no longer saying that a vote for Mr. Romney would be basically the same thing as a vote for President Obama. Meet subdued Santorum. After several highly publicized remarks that left many in his party questioning whether he had crossed the line in attacking a fellow Republican, Mr. Santorum has struggled to find the balance between being a tenacious underdog and leaving himself open to criticism that he is just an embittered also-ran.
As you ponder the validity and possible consequences of these myriad reports, I'll leave you with the silly viral video du jour:
[UPDATE - this clip has been removed from YouTube. It featured raw footage of Callista Gingrich aggressively combing her husband's hair prior to a Fox News interview.]
This one still wins, in my book:
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